This invention relates generally to slide miter saws and specifically to return mechanisms for slide miter saws.
Slide miter saws are well known in the art as they provide extended cutting range over non-sliding miter saws. Like non-sliding miter saws, the slide miter saws have a base, a rotatable table attached to the base, a saw assembly including a motor and a blade driven by the motor, where the saw assembly is pivoted downwardly for cutting a workpiece disposed on the base and table. However, slide miter saws enable the user to move the saw assembly horizontally along the table.
Most slide miter saws accomplish this by connecting the saw assembly to at least one rail, which is slidably attached to a support housing connected to the table (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,885). With such arrangement, the user would pull the saw assembly forwardly, move the saw assembly downwardly, then push the saw assembly rearwardly for cutting the workpiece. It is desirable to provide a mechanism to return the saw assembly to the rearward position.
In accordance with the present invention, an improved miter saw is employed. The miter saw includes a base, a table, a support housing connected to the table, at least one rail slidably connected to the support housing, a trunnion disposed on the at least one rail, a saw assembly pivotally attached to the trunnion and movable between a front position and a rear position, the saw assembly comprising a motor and a blade driven by the motor, and a return mechanism disposed on one of the trunnion and the support housing for returning the saw assembly to the rear position. The return mechanism may comprise a spool, a cable disposed on the spool, and a spring for biasing the spool to a first rotational position, the cable being connected to the other of the trunnion and the support housing.
Additional features and benefits of the present invention are described, and will be apparent from, the accompanying drawings and the detailed description below.